From private practice to executive leadership, Noelia Palacios, Legal Director & General Counsel in Spain, explores how the GC role is becoming increasingly strategic, international, and business-focused.
What has been the most defining moment of your career as an in-house lawyer so far?
There have been several, but if I had to pick the thread that connects them all, it would start with joining Uría Menéndez – one of Spain’s most prestigious law firms. That experience built the foundation of everything. From there, being promoted to Legal Director at Intrum, a Swedish listed company with operations across Europe, was a true milestone. Suddenly I was not just advising on transactions – I was part of the management team, sitting at the table where strategic decisions were made. And then the international dimension – negotiating across cultures, jurisdictions and business traditions – confirmed that this is the kind of lawyer I wanted to be.
In what ways do you see the role of the GC changing over the next 5–10 years?
The role is becoming increasingly holistic. Technical legal expertise will always be the foundation, but the GC of the future needs to understand people, strategy, and organisational dynamics as much as the law itself. And the tools available to us today are extraordinarily powerful – knowing how to use them thoughtfully allows us to focus on what really matters: adding strategic value to the business.
How do you balance the pressures of your role with personal wellbeing and resilience?
I try to be intentional about the things that restore me – sport, time with family and friends, and moments in nature. None of these are luxuries. One thing that never fails to give me perspective is having dinner with my daughter. There is something about that simplicity that resets everything. The hardest part of this profession is giving ourselves permission to stop. There is always something urgent, always another front to cover – but I am convinced that learning to pause makes you sharper, not softer.
If you could change one perception about the in-house legal profession, what would it be?
I would challenge the idea that lawyers belong only in legal roles. In-house counsel have a 360-degree understanding of their companies – we touch every department, every risk, every strategic decision. That knowledge is enormously valuable beyond the legal function, and I think lawyers are well-positioned to move into business roles when the opportunity arises. I would like to see more organisations being open to that possibility.
